If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.”
—Romans 4:2-8 (NLT)
Guess what? There is nothing you can do to justify (make yourself right) with God. If Abraham thought what he did made him right, he had nothing to boast about before God. Abraham believed God, and God credited it to him as righteousness. Believing in Jesus Christ is what saves you—not working to get right with God. If you try to work to make yourself right with God, what you earn in God’s eyes is not counted as grace, but as debt. But if you BELIEVE in Jesus Christ, who by His grace on Calvary makes you right with God, your FAITH in Jesus makes you righteous in God's eyes. You are justified by FAITH—not by what you try to do to be good enough.
Do you remember Paul and Silas in jail? Paul and Silas were in stocks and chains. As they sang praises to God, the foundations of the prison shook. Stocks opened; chains fell off; doors opened. But no one left. Waking and seeing the prison doors open, the jailer believed that the prisoners had fled. He was ready to kill himself when Paul called to him that they were still there. The jailer ran in fear to Paul and Silas and then brought them out. He asked what he had to do to be saved. Paul told him to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and he and his household would be saved. (Acts 16:25-31)
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you are saved. Chains loosened! Sin destroyed! Your punishment is paid for by Jesus! You have no debt! You are saved by His grace—not by your works. You don’t have to prove yourself to God. He has approved you from the Cross. Live the amazing grace of faith in Jesus, and others will come to know Him. His grace sets you free from the jail of guilt and shame. You can get off that treadmill and believe Him. The jail doors are open.
David described how blessed is the man to whom God gives His righteousness apart from any works. He prophesied of the grace of Jesus that was to come. "Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; Blessed is the man to whom the Lord shall not impute sin."
Have faith and believe in Jesus! Works will flow out of your belief—not works that strive to make you right with God but works that flow from being right with God. You can’t “do” free. You can only “be” it.
© 2019 Lynn Lacher
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